Easy Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree – No Peeling, No Cutting Method

Did you know you could make instant pot pumpkin puree without the hassle of peeling or chopping through that hard pumpkin exterior?

Like many people, I love using pumpkin year-round.

Whenever I head to the States from Canada for grocery shopping, I definitely love to stock up on my cans of pumpkin puree.

But during the fall season, when pumpkins are everywhere in sight, I love to make my own homemade jars to enjoy in muffins and pancakes and all the things pumpkin!!

If you are an avid Instant Pot user, you know how life-changing this kitchen appliance can be.

And if you are new to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker world, never fear; there are plenty of people around to guide on how to use them to make yummy easy recipes for your family.

This is a super easy recipe, so let’s waste no more time and get to Instant Potting!

INSTANT POT PUMPKIN PUREE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the exterior of your pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin (Make sure your pumpkin fits inside of your pot without passing the top of the rim
2. Cut off or break off as much of the stem as you can (be careful if using a knife)
3. Place your metal trivet at the bottom of your instant pot insert
4. Add one and a half cups of water to the bottom
5. Place your pumpkin onto the metal trivet
6. Add your lid and close it. Set the gasket to “sealing” mode
7. Press the “Manual” mode and adjust the time to 15 minutes
8. When finished, allow the Instant Pot to do a Natural Release (basically, let it sit idle when the 15 minutes ends until the pin releases)
9. Allow the pumpkin to cool for at least 15 minutes, and then carefully remove the pumpkin from the Instant Pot
10. Process the cooked pumpkin in your preferred method. An easy way is to cut a hole out of the top and scoop out the seeds to limit the mess (but save those bad boys to make yummy ranch pumpkin seeds). 
11. Mash the pumpkin flesh with a fork if you want a thicker texture, or pop it into your blender and blend away until you have the desired consistency.
    

*Keep in mind that homemade pumpkin puree contains more water than canned puree.

Grab some cheesecloth and place it over a fine-mesh strainer.

You want to let that drain for a good 1-2 hours so that the maximum amount of fluid can strain out until the homemade puree is much firmer in texture.

REFRIGERATION & FREEZING

Refrigerate your pumpkin puree in an airtight container, such as a glass mason jar, and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you prefer to freeze it, grab some freezer bags, flatten it (space-saving technique), and freeze it for up to 3 months for the best quality.

You can always use it afterward, but the quality may not be at its highest after the 3-month period.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO USE UP YOUR INSTANT POT PUMPKIN PUREE?

Try these delicious vegan pumpkin pancakes.